Dopamine Diet, also known as Tom Kerridge Diet, is a method to increase the level of the happy hormone, dopamine, in your brain. This diet plan is also widely popular for weight loss. TV Chef Tom Kerridge made this diet plan popular and hence it was named after him. This has several versions but the base of this plan is to consume all kinds of foods that boost our dopamine levels.

This diet plan also restricts our consumption of alcohol, processed sugar, carbohydrates and caffeine. Some of the common foods that are consumed in the dopamine diet plan are eggs, bananas, dark chocolates, nuts, etc. These all are known to increase the dopamine level in our brain. So, what is the science behind this dopamine diet? Let’s find out.

Dopamine diet is used for weight loss and to boost the levels of happy hormone:

What is dopamine?

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. This chemical sends signals to the nerve cells in the brain. It has its positive impacts on the pleasure centres of the brain which improves the mood. It has been seen in research that people with overweight have a lower dopamine level due to the consumption of sugar and fatty foods. So, people have to reduce the intake of sugary and fatty foods along with maintaining a good dopamine level. Lower dopamine levels can also lead to overeating among people.

In this case, it is important to increase proteins intake because proteins have amino acids in it which is an essential factor for dopamine production. And it will also reduce your food cravings as proteins give you the feeling of satiety, which will directly aid in weight loss. So, the research concluded that eating a protein-rich breakfast can boost dopamine levels and also aid in weight loss. And through this, the consumption of fatty and sugary foods will also be prevented.

Foods to eat in dopamine diet

In dopamine diet, you can have these foods:

Dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese, etc.

Eggs.

Fruits, especially bananas.

Vegetables.

Nuts like almonds and walnuts.

Unprocessed meat like chicken.

Dark chocolates.

Salmon fish.

Here are the tips for maintaining dopamine diet:

1- Never skip your regular meals, because it will prevent sudden swings in hormones and regulate appetite.

2- Try to have more lean protein breakfast including eggs, high protein yoghurt, nuts and seeds, fruits, etc.